Pakistan wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal has offered to pay the fine imposed on his brother Umar Akmal, from his own Pakistan Super League (PSL) salary, so that Umar can start his rehab programme after being suspended in February 2020.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had suspended Umar in February 2020 for his failure to report the corrupt approaches made to him before the start of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) last year.
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However, the Court of Arbitration for Sports had reduced the ban on the 30-year-old for 12 months but slapped him with a fine of Rs 4.25 million for breaching the PCB Code of Conduct, as he would have to pay the fine in order to resume his rehabilitation program to return to competitive cricket.
Recently, Umar had requested the PCB to allow him to pay the fine of Rs 4.25 million in installments, as he was financially not strong at present, but the governing body rejected the appeal and asked him to pay the full amount in order to kick start his rehabilitation program as per the anti-corruption code.
However now, Umar’s elder brother Kamran has come out in support of the latter as he is willing to pay the fine from his PSL fees so that he can start his rehabilitation program.
As reported by PTI, Kamran said: “I am willing to pay the fine for my brother. I request the PCB they can deduct the amount from any payments due to me for my PSL matches.”
He signed off by saying, “The money should not be such a big issue. They can deduct from my fees and even Umar whenever he plays his money will also come through the PCB only. I request the PCB to show some leniency and Umar is ready to pay the fine.”
Noteworthy, the PCB’s disciplinary panel in April 2020 found Umar guilty on two charges of separate breaches and handed him a three-year suspension from the game that was later reduced to 12 months.
(With PTI Inputs)
